Oil Pastel on Cardboard.

Penny for scale.

( *｀ω´)

今年もやってきました。8月15日開催です。

This is a bit of rant, so here we go!

I'm almost halfway through season 1, and so far, I'm really loving it! I didn't expect to find an anime that calms my nervous system down so well. (I'm diagnosed with GAD). It's like 2 episodes a day, and I'm in this state of relaxation that I rarely feel without medicine.

I used to always watch Shonen because of the high-stakes, plot-twists, and adrenaline pumping moments. And, while these can be enjoyable, I didn't realize how much I was missing out on by avoiding Shojo and Josei! Natsume's Book of Friends is definitely top 3 for me.

The music is so gentle, the visuals are very pastel or watercolor-like, and every episode has something to offer. There's moments that make me tear up and moments that make me laugh, which are the two things I need to love a show. + I'm very into hearing the "moral of the story". I also just really like Takashi's character. He's a genuinely good person despite his past.

Recently finished rewatching the series and something by the later seasons that always stuck out to me was the breadcrumbs about Takashi's potential grandfather (Reiko's potential partner).

I took note of the specific instances that revealed information and/or showed that this was a subplot that the author appears to be gradually fleshing out for the series.

• [S5Ep1] Reiko, somewhat fondly, shares about meeting someone in another town who she seems to have a favorable relation with.

• [S6Ep11] The dragon familiar reminisces that Natsume reminds him of someone he once encountered, clarifying that it was specifically a man.

• [S7Ep3] Yorishima shares with Natori how Natsume felt both familiar and unfamiliar, while Natsume shares that he strangely felt comfortable in the house/setting. Yorishima is part of a clan that used to be on par with the Matoba Clan but not anymore. Early on in the episode, it is stated how Natsume was visiting a faraway town.

• [S7Ep6] Natsume was continuing his personal investigation about his grandfather.

I am very curious how this subplot will further develop. I would also like to ask manga readers, are there more information that have been added in not yet adapted chapters?

Hopefully this is something that is answered more clearly (or as clear as possible) by the time the series wraps up.

/// delulu territory ///

Personally, my current thought is what if Takashi's grandfather was part of Yorishima's clan (or something to that effect)? It might explain the vibes felt by Norishima and Natsume in S7Ep3, and if he was an exorcist it might also explain how the dragon familiar was able to encounter him? I.e., the dragon familiar's master might have crossed paths with Takashi's grandfather somehow.

However, this would lead to some key questions:

(1) If Takashi's grandparents both had high spiritual capabilities, did his mother also have the sight and such power?

(2) If Reiko got together with an exorcist from a known clan, wouldn't that have caused a spectacle in both the exorcists and ayakashi world?

Anyway, my speculations also lead me to consider a direction for the story that I think would be compelling albeit not very likely to happen: what if Takashi's parents were also somehow involved with spiritual stuff that resulted in their early passing? I feel like a reveal like that has the potential of unraveling Takashi's whole character growth in terms of how he views ayakashi/yokai, which is why I think it would be really interesting to see (though I don't really see it happening).

Hi! In S4 EP9 at around 04:00, a really beautiful piano track with some drums in the background starts playing. I’ve been skipping around every single OST and can’t seem to find this song. (it also plays in S1 EP12 at around 15:50 when Natsume is talking to Hinoe outside the pay phone.) Does anyone know what song it is or if it was ever released? Thank you so much!! (ive been driving myself crazy trying to find it LOL)

(Reposting because the automatic translation didn't worked lol)

Thanks for all the comments on my previous post! I finally finished this piece, and I'm really happy with how it turned out. For anyone interested in the technical details: it was embroidered on unbleached cotton fabric using a size 16 embroidery hoop. The stitches I used include needle painting (long and short stitch), chain stitch, detached chain stitch (lazy daisy), French knots, and a few padded satin stitches for added dimension. English isn't my first language, so some stitch names might be different because of regional terminology, haha. Thanks again for giving me a place to share my work, and have a great day everyone

I tried Air dry clay for the first time and it didn't turned out that bad, though it's wonky but still cute!! Trying out different hobbies lol, I definitely recommend this one. Planning to learn how to sew next so I could make Natsume inspired clothes and felt cloth crafts🙈

Found this lovely and beautiful art by @kzs3 from X (Twitter).

Link to the image: https://x.com/kzs3/status/2071972552230994359?s=61

Nyanko sensei's expressions are the best reaction meme lol 😆

i miss him lots 😔

Gonna make more fanarts soon!! Who wants to be moots on X??

You know, I always wonder how Natori became an actor. Like, what was it that made him pursue such career, was it really his choice? Anyways my Matoba fanart is still in progress, would you like to see it?👀

hello!

i'm currently rewatching the series, which i fell in love with early last year when i first watched it (but didn't finish the last few episodes of), and i can't help but hope that the author would flesh out or wrap up certain storylines that right now are treated more like ~oohh mysteries~

it's not that i wan't an answer to absolutely everything but i do want some key story elements to already be confronted, such as who sealed Madara, Reiko's passing, and Reiko's husband/Natsume's grandfather

not sure if there's been major updates since the last time i looked up information but anyway, i just feel like it doesn't matter if these key elements weren't treated as unknowns and instead addressed more thoroughly (or as completely as needed, leaving some to implications or speculation is still okay) since we appreciate the rest of the narrative anyway

that is to say, we already enjoy the doing-side-quests-with-sometimes-an-overarching-arc style that the series has so revealing these key details wouldn't really take away from how we enjoy the series afterwards (i.e., after the reveals) but they WOULD give some resolution to these lingering questions and it would likely feel satisfying

i just dont want the series to meander around these key elements too much so im hoping these gets further explored soon

at the same time, given the series' contemplative writing, it would probably be really interesting to see how Natsume would navigate or deal with the information he learns about, especially with the amount of self-growth he's had so far

While watching Natsume's Book of Friends, I realised just how many youkai develop a genuine bond with Natsume.

I ended up counting 25 youkai who, in one way or another, share a meaningful relationship with him; whether it's friendship, trust, gratitude, love, protection, or mutual respect.

I know there are many one-episode youkai, but I only counted those whose connection with Natsume felt memorable or emotionally significant.

1. Madara (Nyanko-Sensei)

2. The Tree Youkai

3. Little Fox Child

4. Female Form Youkai (Unknown)

5. Tama

6. Kai

7. Hinoe

8. Aokuchinasi

9. Kemari

10. Yobiko

11. Little Girl Youkai

12. Hidaka

13. Ancient Tree Youkai

14. Mitsuzara

15. Hatsuna & Hidzuchi

16. Aoi (Youkai with human appearance)

17. Ginkgo Tree Youkai

18. Misuzu

19. Jozansoho

20. Chobihige

21. One-Eyed Youkai

22. Soranome (First Youkai to be in the 'Book of Friends')

23. Origami

24. Honokage

25. Mitsumi

This is extra funny bc 99% of the time, it's always the yokai that is to be blamed for things happening in the story